Royals prospect Jason Adam hopes to benefit from Arizona stay

Although he pitched at Blue Valley Northwest, Jason Adam gave himself something of a home-field advantage for Royals’ spring training. He and seven other Royals prospects played for a team at the team’s complex in Surprise and when that season ended, he remained there to work on his game.

Although he pitched at Blue Valley Northwest, Jason Adam gave himself something of a home-field advantage for Royals’ spring training.

Adam has spent most of the past few months in the Phoenix area. He was one of eight Royals’ prospects who played for the Peoria squad that played its games at the Royals’ complex in Surprise.

When that season ended, Adam remained in Surprise throughout most of the off-season to work on his game.

“I like working out there because I’m getting the stuff they think I need,” Adam said.

Adam threw, but his primary approach was strengthening his core and lower body.

“It was a new approach to the off-season because I rested my arm a little more than usual,” Adam said. “I threw an extra-long season, and hopefully that prepares me to go long this season.”

Adam, a 6-foot-4, 219-pound right-hander, threw 144 innings for Class AA Northwest Arkansas in 2013, finishing with an 8-11 record and 5.19 ERA.

He threw another 29 innings in the fall, with a 2-2 record and 4.03 ERA in seven starts.

Adam, the Royals’ fifth-round selection in 2010 who has moved up the ranks in each of his three professional seasons since finishing at Northwest, doesn’t know where he’ll be assigned this year.

“My expectations are high, my goals are pretty high,” Adam said. “Everybody in this clubhouse has the ability to play in the big leagues. I want to do what I can to show that I belong.”

Going backwards isn’t an option for Adam, unless it’s a social call. While pitching in Class A Wilmington in 2012, he met a team employee, Kayla Miller, who introduced Adam to her sister Kelsey. Now, they’re dating, Adam and Kelsey, the reigning Miss Delaware who will compete in this year’s Miss USA.